According to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in 2007. This disease affects people of all ages, and treatment options currently include surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, cryotheraphy, laser therapy, and chemotherapy. Surgery, alone or in conjunction with other treatments, is used in more than 9 out of 10 cases.
Surgery can involve partial or complete removal of an organ and/or the area affected by a cancerous tumor. However, in some cases, the tumor is inaccessible or has so completely invaded an area that this option, is not viable. In addition, accompanying therapies, such as radiation or chemotherapy, can cause serious or life-threatening side effects or affect other healthy tissue. Also, the number of treatments the patient can receive are limited.